Rae Ackerman

A graduate of the Theatre Department at UBC in 1965, Rae Ackerman worked in theatre production across Canada from 1965 to 1989 at the Vancouver Playhouse, Theatre Calgary and Alberta Theatre projects, Manitoba Theatre Centre and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, St. Lawrence Centre, National Arts Centre, Expo 67, Neptune Theatre and Charlottetown Festival.

In 1989, Rae moved to the other side of the proscenium, first as General Manager of the Pantages (now Ed Mirvish Theatre) in Toronto and from 1990 until retirement in 2012, as Director of Vancouver Civic Theatres. In 1999 he was awarded the Performing Arts Executive of the Year at Canadian Music Week and Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology’s Honourary Life Membership and in 2008, the BC Touring Council Award of Excellence.

He has also worked on design, construction supervision, renovation and/or start-up of 13 theatres across Canada, beginning with the Frederic Wood Theatre at UBC in 1964 and including the Place des Arts, National Arts  Centre, Shaw Festival Theatre and the Arts Commons, Calgary. Rae was the moving force behind the renewal of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and the Orpheum as well as the addition of The Annex on the site of the old Capitol 6 cinema. He served on advisory committees for theatre programs at Niagara College, Grant MacEwen College, Mount Royal College, Langara College and Capilano University. Mr Ackerman is a founding member of the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame Society and remains on the board.